Lionel Messi risks increasing fury after choosing not to attend the glamorous ceremony at the White House to collect his Presidential Medal of Freedom.
The World Cup winner received the United States' highest civilian honor on Saturday and was invited to meet Joe Biden and collect the award in Washington DC.
As photos from the ceremony began to emerge, it became clear that Messi was one of the few recipients who skipped the event and was not photographed on stage with Biden.
The likes of Bono, Magic Johnson, Hillary Clinton and Michael J. Fox headed to the American capital, but there was no sign of Messi.
It was later confirmed that he had not attended, and the Washington Post even reported that the announcer left out Messi's name when reading the 2025 medal winners.
It was also reported that no one attended to receive the award on his behalf.
Magic Johnson was among the superstars who traveled to the White House on Saturday.
President Joe Biden presents the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Hillary Clinton
Lionel Messi, pictured last week with his wife Antonela, chose not to attend the ceremony.
The decision to hand him the honor had already sparked public ire earlier in the day, with one fan describing it as “nonsense.”
“Messi moved here a year ago,” the publication adds. “If people receive this award for being a good example and doing charity work, millions of people should receive it.”
Another X user simply wrote: 'Will Messi receive a Presidential Medal of Freedom??? This administration is a fucking joke!'
The Inter Miami star, 37, will be honored for his charitable work with UNICEF and his own foundation, as well as his own success on the soccer field, which led him to lift the Copa América on American soil after winning the World Cup in Qatar in 2022.
People like Denzel Washington and Anna Wintour traveled to the American capital.
In Messi's most recent Instagram post, he was playing soccer with kids in Miami (above)
In a statement revealing this year's award winners, the White House said of the soccer star: “Messi is the most decorated player in the history of professional soccer.
“He supports healthcare and education programs for children around the world through the Leo Messi Foundation and serves as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador.”
When it emerged that he had snubbed the glitzy White House event, a second wave of online fury emerged.
One X user wrote: 'This is just amazing. How did you not attend this?
Another added: “Must be a Trump guy.”